


Heavy Lifting

by auriadne



Category: Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, F/M, Fluff, Pilot! Steve, Stunt Choreographer! Diana, glorified drabble tbh, wondertrev
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-11-23 02:39:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11393655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auriadne/pseuds/auriadne
Summary: Steve Trevor moves to a new apartment building, where he meets the fascinating Diana Prince; and through a series of kind gestures, Diana manages to entrance the pilot.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I have a thing for bit sized domestic-ish, cute wondertrev <3

Steve Trevor was never a fan of moving. It was the culmination of a lot of little, annoying tasks- packing up his life into boxes, cramming said boxes in his **way too** small car (and accidently tossing things he wouldn’t realize he needed until months later). That was all before he was left curbside with stacks of moving boxes, and the meager amount of furniture he owned was dropped to the wayside as the moving truck drove off before they could be roped into carrying these things up three flights of stairs.

Not that he blamed them. He didn’t want to do it either. _But how hard could it be?_

An hour and a bucket of sweat later, and he came to the realization- **very hard** _._

He groaned leaning against the popped trunk of his car, undoing to top two buttons of plaid shirt to tug at the offending fabric that clung to his skin under the sweltering sun and manual labor.

The break he was taking didn’t remedy the fact that he still had a couch mattress and a seemingly never ending pile of boxes to take up. He was starting to think that maybe that minimalism trend had something to it.

His eyes squeezed shut as he pushed back his bangs with another, more irritated, grumble- at least until the sound of a woman’s voice grabbed his attention. “Excuse me, but are you alright?”

Steve blinked and almost did a double take.

“Uh-“ He stumbled out. He wasn’t usually so inarticulate, but the woman that stood in front of him with a curious expression was anything but _usual_. It wasn’t just that she was striking. No, she had an air about her- a power in the way she carried herself. It was coupled with a genuine concern that furrowed her brow and bled into her voice. Steve smiled. It was a little forced. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

She saw right through it and frowned. “No. No, you are not.” She sounded offended for him, and a cool hand pressed to his forehead. “It’s the hottest day this month. What if you get heatstroke?”

“I promise you, I’m not going to get heatstroke. I’m fine. I just need to finish moving then I’ll be done.” Her dark eyes flicked to his. It was like she could sense he was lying.

“You shouldn’t make promises that you cannot keep.”

He chuckled. He was pretty sure this total stranger was showing him more concern than half his friends or family ever did. “Well if we’re done, I’ll get back to it.” He said heaving a heavy box into his arms with a grunt.

The woman was unmoving in front of him when she asked, “What apartment are you?”

His head cocked to the side. “What?”

“Where do you live?”

She was rather persistent. It couldn’t hurt to let her know, he supposed. “Oh, uh, 3C.”

As soon as he said it, a grin was drawn to her lips. Steve felt a little dazed. Maybe she was right and the heatstroke was starting to kick in. “That’s next to me! I’ll help.” She cheerfully added and reached to grab the box from his hands.

“Wait it’s-“ He started in warning, but it wasn’t needed when she took it from his hands with ease. “ ** _Heavy_**?” He raised a brow, watching her balance it on her hip like it was nothing. _Okay?_ So on top of being a nosy- but helpful- neighbor, she had an Amazonian-like strength?

“Do not worry about it. Think of it as a house welcoming present.”

“House warming gift?” Steve ventured.

“Yes! That!” There was a flash of white in her grin now, as she bounded up the stairs- humming something to herself.

Steve scratched the back of his head. She was a bit odd in a stubbornly kind, captivatingly attractive, and clearly perceptive kind of way. Count himself intrigued.

_Perhaps moving wasn’t so bad after all._

* * *

 

Two days later he ran into his mysterious new neighbor, literally while running. It’s a few hours before his shift at the airport and piloting wasn’t exactly the most physically demanding job so any chance he got he used to keep his body in top condition- a habit from his time in the army.

He’s about two miles out from his apartment complex, jogging through a scenic stretch of greenway, when he felt a pat on the back. The surprised sound he made had the person laughing, as Steve pulled the earbuds from his ears and whipped around to see a familiar woman- _his neighbor_ \- laughing freely

In this moment, he noticed two things. One, how utterly melodic the sound of her laughter was and how it made him want to join in. And two, how glaringly built she was. Those muscles (and abs he noticed) put him to shame, and certainly explained some things from the other day.

Steve gulped before regaining composure.

The woman was regaining her composure too, the laughter in the air fizzling out, as she leaned with a hand on his shoulder to catch her breath. “Terribly sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

The mirthful grin on her face said the exact opposite. Steve scoffed. “You hardly _scared_ me.”

“Come on, you practically squeaked.” She teased.

“I didn’t not.” The indigent twinge to his voice was victory enough for her, and a newfound glint shone in her eyes.

“Okay, if you say so.” She shot him a wink, before waving and running off.

Steve’s hand rubbed at the spot on his shoulder where the woman had leaned. _Ah,_ he realized, _in their two meetings he had never gotten her name._

* * *

 

The third time they meet, Steve finally learns her name.

It’s early one morning when he’s seated on his balcony eating breakfast and glancing through news stories on his phone, when he heard, “Good morning!” Her accent accentuated the pleasant tone in her greeting as she waved across from her adjacent balcony.

“You’re up awfully early.” This time he was the one teasing, taking a long sip of coffee.

“I take care of my plants in the morning. I suppose I’m fond of routines.” She held up her watering can as proof. It was unneeded because of the near garden she kept on the little veranda that was an offshoot from her apartment.

Tendrils of ivy curled up the railing, and pots of varying sizes, with even more variable plants- flowers, ferns, and some cacti- covered the small space.  It was enough proof that she was fond of plants, and particularly good with them, as well.

Steve smiled. “I am too. The running, cleaning, breakfast. My schedule’s hectic so any chance at normalcy is… nice.” Moments like these, when things were quiet, and he got a chance to do what he _wanted_ rather that what he was told, were enjoyable.

Water poured from the can as she doused a row of pretty orange lilies in water. Then she leaned on the railing facing his balcony. “I am curious, Mr.-?”

“Trevor. Steve Trevor.” He could have face palmed. _Was that some subconscious attempt at sounding cool?_ He tried to cover it up quickly. “But please, just Steve.”

She ignored his bumble completely. “Alright, Steve.” Though the sound of his name had some effect on him. The coffee cup rattled in his hand as he set it down with a clank. “I wonder what it is you do that has your schedule so off? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.” She had probably noticed by now that he was gone a lot of the time, leaving his apartment starkly empty for days at a time.

“I fly planes.” He gave simply.

She clapped her hands together. “Ah! A pilot. That’s so exciting. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be in the air.”

He chuckled. He’d had that kind of enthusiasm about it before. “Flying small planes- that’s the fun stuff; but I’m more of a commercial pilot now.” The line of work awarded a stable, safe income, perhaps at the expense of fun (and maybe some of his passion).

Her expression didn’t change. “Even still, I’m sure you have been to many places, have you not?”

That was an interesting turn, and she surely had a point. Though his work might not be the dream he set out for as a teen, there were some notable merits to it- that he, all too often, took for granted. “I suppose you’re right. I should consider the bright side of things more often.”

“I would be quite interested to hear of your travels.”

“I can assure you, they aren’t anything noteworthy.”

“Nonsense! Experiencing other countries and cultures is a wonderful thing even if it’s something you would consider mundane.” She had a way that made everything sound so nice- _an effect of her positive outlook?_ “I would love to listen sometime, if you are willing to tell."

“I am, but I’m actually leaving today. I won’t be back for at least a week.” It was almost bitter having to admit it because a chance to spend more time with his curious neighbor was something he expected to relish.

“Oh,” Disappointment crossed her face, until her eyes fixated on something behind him. “Then who’s going to take care of your poor palm?”

“My palm?” _What was she-_ He turned in his chair to face what she was looking at. “Oh, the plant!” He realized after a bout of confusion. It was honestly impressive that it was still kicking given his track record with houseplants. “Yeah, it was a gift from a friend, but unlike you I don’t really have much of a green thumb.”

It was a gift from his friend Charlie when he’d moved. Steve recalled him shoving the thing into his arms saying that he needed something alive in the apartment to keep him company.

“I could take care of it, at least while you’re away for work. It would be a shame for it to die, especially if it was a present.”

“That’s rather thoughtful considering we just met.”

She shrugged. “Would you prefer me to be thoughtless?”

“Not at all. It’s refreshing.”

“Good. Then its settled.” He never thought he’d have someone plant sitting for him, but he could hardly say no to the good natured enthusiasm she exuded.

“You know,” Steve started at length when she was almost finishing watering and about to head indoors. “I never caught your name.”

Her lips quirked like it was a secret she was excited to tell. “It’s Diana Prince.”

 _Diana Prince._ That had a nice ring to it.


	2. Chapter 2

Diana’s presence was unlike any other that Steve had experienced in his lifetime.

She called his attention- her presence lingering in his mind even if it was something as brief as bumping into each other on the stairs and exchanging chipper pleasantries or running into her during his daily errands.

Like in the local coffee shop- where he learned that she favored sweet things of the caramel-coffee concoction variety- or in the used bookstore where he saw her perusing the stacks of old mythological texts- and decided to ask her about it. It was an excuse to talk to his curious neighbor. It didn’t lessen how interested he was in what she had to say, and just as often she turned the tables on him, asking about his day, his interests, and his life.

What did he say she was before?

 _Refreshing?_ It was true in every aspect of her being. She was like a breath of fresh air- enthusiastic, earnest fresh air.

So he started trying to spend more time with her. Trying meant altering his morning run slightly, so that there was a mile overlap between their routes. The first day of his new route, Diana noticed him first. She caught up to him quickly and fell into stride next to him, flashing him a grin and a, "Hi, Steve.”

“Hey.” His breath fell a little heavier than he would have liked, but even at half past six the sun already cast the city in a hot haze. Steve brushed his bangs back with a hand, and matched her smile.

The suburban houses with their manicured green lawns passed by in a flash until they slowed to a brisk walk when Diana struck up conversation. She took a swig from her water bottle. “You know, you are very resolute. Every morning you’re out here. It’s commendable.”

His eyes met hers. There was a glint in them that both amused and intrigued him.

She thought awfully highly of him. It made him stifle a chuckle behind his hand. “Ah- yes. It’s good to- uh- clear the head.” Though his mind was certainly not clear in this moment. “But I could say the same of you.”

“Thank you, although it’s not quite the same since it comes with the job.”

Steve realized she knew much more about him than he about her. “What is it that you do?”

“Oh, it’s never come up, has it? I work with movie directors and actors, choregraphing action scenes and training the actors. It’s demanding but very fun.” Oh, somehow that made sense. An athletic, physically demanding job fit in with her lifestyle and personality. Her expression shifted as she got an idea that she was very chuffed by. “If you’re interested, you can stop by my gym sometime. I’m sure I could teach you a thing or two.”

The wink she gave brought a heat to his face and suddenly he felt like a 14 year old again- getting flustered by a girl simply _talking_ to him. How was she capable of getting him to react like that with such simple gestures?

And how could he turn that down. _A training session with Diana?_ Steve wished it was the date it sounded like.

“I think I’d like that.” He said.

And she laughed. “Me too.”

 _Maybe_ he liked it a little less the third time his back hit the foam floor, and he was left staring up at the fluorescent lighting on the gym’s ceiling. Steve let out an audible groan. His military training must have gotten rusty over his years out of the service, but he didn’t think he was _that_ rusty. Then again maybe it wasn’t so bad, when Diana’s grinning face popped into his vision above him, covered in a thin sheen of sweat with her dark hair falling out of place and over her shoulders.  

She was beautiful like this- not that she wasn’t always beautiful- but there was something special about how she was having fun. Honestly, he was too.

Steve muttered, stuck in a bit of a daze. “You got me.”

Her eyes were creased by her smile as she offered him a hand. He took it, and she helped pull him to his feet with a steady grip. “Don’t mind it. I do this all the time.”

“Oh, I don’t.” He clarified quickly, so she wouldn’t misjudge him as the kind of man who would be bothered by things like this. “I just thought I might be able to hold my own better.”

Diana patted his shoulder. He could have sworn that it lingered a longer than necessary, but he was probably just hoping for that. “You’re better than most people I deal with. You’ve been in the military before, right? “

He shrugged. “Good eye. You got me.” Her perceptiveness was not lost on him. 

“I can tell by the way you react and hold yourself. You look at a fight with more strategy than just a game of brute strength.”

“Is that a compliment?” He teased out of habit.

“Of course. I work with a lot of people. Though none are as entertaining as you.” He felt that warmth again and brushed it off with a laugh. No one had ever had quite the effect on him as this woman that he had barely known for more than a month. He fell back into his stance; and her foot nudged his, telling him to widen it to shift his center of gravity. Diana motioned with her head. “Pay more attention to your left flank. You focus too much on your dominant side That is why I have been able to get the upper hand.”

In the hour and a half, he spent in the studio Steve was able to best Diana once. Though he was half in a mind to think she let him, just to see how he would react.

At one point, she got distracted, checking her phone. “I didn’t realize the time. I have a client soon.” She sighed. “Sorry to cut this short.”

“It’s not a problem at all.”

“I hope I wasn’t too presumptuous when I invited you here.”

“You weren’t. I enjoyed this.”

Her face brightened. “Oh, that's great." She looked at him like she wanted to say more but held back. "Be careful on your way back.”

That was his cue to leave, but Steve found himself taking a pause when he reached for the door handle, arguing internally with himself. He turned on heel. Her gaze was still settled on him, but her eyes went a little wider. “Diana," He started, trying to decide if this was this was too much, too soon or not. "Would you like to go out? On a date this time?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Was this not already one?”


End file.
